It’s hard to be the coach of 41 Major League Baseball players without working a day in the major leagues. Wayne Graham pulled it off without even working a day in the minors.
The legendary Rice University coach died Tuesday at his home in Austin, Texas, where, according to the Houston Chronicle, he had been under hospice care battling a rare heart condition. He was 88.
Among his most famous players were Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Lance Berkman, and Anthony Rendon.
Graham coached Rice to a national championship and seven College World Series appearances in a career that began in 1992. When he retired in 2018 — his 27th season on the bench — his record was 1,173-528-2.
Graham also won five NJCAA World Series championships at Texas’ San Jacinto College, a JuCo powerhouse, from 1985-87 and 1989-90.
A number of Graham’s famous pupils, past and present, took time to remember him Wednesday.
“Coach Wayne Graham was one of the Best of the Best!” Clemens wrote on his Twitter/X account. “A baseball lifer! Great Coach, but far better teacher of the game! Gave us young men life lessons to carry with us forever. I will miss Coach, and his funny stories we had together over the years. A Winner! Thanks for everything Coach.”
“I am deeply grateful for the profound impact you have had on our family,” former major league outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. wrote on his Twitter/X account. “Your influence is felt in our daily lives, helping us understand each other better because of the lessons you shared. Your legacy will always be a part of our lives. Thank you, Coach Wayne Graham. RIP.”
“His track record speaks for itself,” said Rendon, who played for Graham at Rice from 2009-11, in an interview with the Orange County Register. “Being in the game that long, it’s legendary. Everyone I spoke with, they all said the same thing. He’s a true legend.”
Born in Yoakum, Texas, Graham played 30 major league games for the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets in 1963 and 1964. After retiring as a player he quickly distinguished himself as a coach at the high school level in Texas.
That allowed Graham to get the San Jacinto job in 1981. Over the next decade, he transformed the program into a national name by winning five national junior college titles.
But his greatest success came at Rice, birthing a legacy that spanned three decades.
“He took a program that didn’t have any success in baseball and made it into an instant dynasty,” Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy told the Chronicle.
Read more: Houston Astros Sign Inspirational Former World Series Champion